SOUTH AFRICAN WAR
Wry humorous verses on the South African War, 1899-1902, unsigned,
in imitation of 'Cock Robin', beginning "Who caused the Boers' Rebellion 'I' said the people's Willy, With my speeches so silly I caused that Rebellion", beginning thus with the Kaiser, and continuing with the Queen's Speech, Childers, Roberts, Kimberley, "Who advised surrender ?" ('lowly' John Bright), "Who signed the treaty ?" (Evelyn Wood), Cairns, "Who called it honourable ?" (Selborne), "Who cried shame on it ?" (Whig and Tory), "Who approved it strongly ?" (the Radicals), and ending "Who'll pay the piper ?" (John Bull, 'For whoever plays the fool I always pay the piper'), 48 lines on 3 sides 8vo, no place, no date, circa
Item Date:
1902
Stock No:
52959
£125
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A NAVAL SPY IN 1798
[SPENCER
(George John, 1758-1834, Statesman and Bibliophile, from 1783 2nd Earl)}
Petition from Stephen Parsons Mariner to Earl Spencer and the other Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty
saying that in June 1758 he had been "employed by Evan Nepean, Esquire, under the capacity of Manager and Commander of the Ship Unity, an English and Dutch Letter of Marque, in which your Petitioner crossed the Seas from the English Coast to Flushing, for the purpose of obtaining such knowledge and Intelligence of the Enemy's Fleet, as from his efforts and endeavours, he might be able to acquire, but that your Petitioner was thwarted in his Pursuits by the interposition and interference of some evil-disposed person or persons, disaffected to the Cause in which your Petitioner had embarked, and who had given private Information the to Dutch of such your Petitioner's Designs and the precise nature and purport of his voyage previous to his arrival in the Dutch Port ... in consequence of such information, considered as a Spy, and did not only undergo a very strict, personal examination by the Dutch, but the closest Search was likewise made in your Petitioner's Vessel ..." however they had been unable to claim the vessel as a prize, the Dutch then asked the French to take the vessel but he refused to let them so he "sailed on the Second day of July for England, the French Lugger continuing in the Flushing Roads till that period but did not then attempt to pursue ..." he then gives an account of a battle with the Lugger and his capture by French Soldiers, he was released but bought a smaller vessel to attempt to return to England but was recaptured and "conveyed, under heavy Irons to Prison, where ... was closely confined under the Imputation of being a Spy ...", he escaped again and managed to get his crew released but has incurred heavy financial losses which he is hoping that the Admiralty will compensate him for, 3 sides large folio, no place,
defect in blank lower part of fold
Item Date:
1798
Stock No:
39793
£275
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SPILLER
(Sir Henry, Knighted by the King at Whitehall, 20th July 1618)
Letter Signed to 'yor. hono.ble Lo[rdshi]pp'
about 'the Compositions ... made with sundrey Undershereiffs of sev[er]all Countyes ... for yssues of Jurors by them nichelled [i.e. cancelled] & recove[r]ed for his Ma[je]tie", saying that "there was paid to Sr. Willm. Brunker by some Shereiffs two p[ar]tes devided into three of such Debts recovered or charged. But usually ... he received the Moyety ... of the Summes soe nichelled', but because this was 'about Tenne yeares sithence', he cannot remember more 'to certifie yo.r Lo.pp', 1 side folio, no place, 11th July
right margin a trifle worn
Item Date:
1628
Stock No:
51407
£275
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ST JOHN
(Moubray St Andrew Thornton, 1877-1934, 19th Baron St John of Bletso, Served in the Boer War and World War I, Peer)
Fine unsigned Platinotype Portrait Photo by Bassano, signed by the photographer,
showing him half length in profile, wearing a jacket and tie, 8" x 6" in mount 13½" x 10", no place, no date
Item Date:
0
Stock No:
41040
£75
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ST. VINCENT
(John Jervis, 1735-1823, C-in-C West Indies and Mediterranean, Admiral of the Fleet, from 1797 1st Earl)
Portrait engraved by H. Robinson after Hoppner in the Royal Collection,
showing him three-quarter length in full dress uniform, cradling his telescope, smoke-filled hints of a naval battle as back drop, 7" x 4½", no place, no date, c.
laid down, decorative border trimmed a little
Item Date:
1830
Stock No:
50412
£45
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